The Life of a Mason Is Complicated
by TeamEtharahRules
Summary: THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO THE LIFE OF A MASON! The months after Tom Mason left with the aliens, the Mason children go through a rough time. Their father comes back. That is supposed to be a happy moment, but it just makes things worse for Elizabeth and her siblings. Enjoy the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Shoutouts:**

**This just goes to all of my readers. I love all of yall for reading this. **

Disclaimer: I, sadly, don't own this show. Sad face :-(

This first month has been horrible for me and my siblings. After I was checked out of the hospital, I went into a depression. I wouldn't eat, drink, or sleep. It took everything for Hal to get me some bread, and then when I did it just tasted like dirt and ashes in my month. I wouldn't sleep because of my fear of the nightmares that invaded my dreams.

In the dream, I mean in the nightmare, I would either turn into one of them, we would be tortured, or I would torture my family. In that nightmare, the Overlord would take control of me, no matter how hard I fought it, and it told me to beat my brothers to death. I would actually smile as I did it.

One night I got ready to stay up, but after the past nights of staying up, I was tired. I put my head on my pillow and I was instantly out like a light.

~NIGHTMARE~

I was on board the ship that Dad got on with Karen and the Overlord. I was tied up in a chair as were my brothers. I struggled to get free when I heard footsteps coming down the corridor. One set was very heavy while the other was very soft. I figured it was Karen and the Overlord. She came into our room with a grim smile on her face and the fish-head was right behind her.

"All of the Mason children together, how wonderful. Too bad your father is not with you. This may be your last day on Earth if nothing bad happens." She told us.

"Yes, we are here and we are here to kill you." I snarled at her.

She smiled at me and walked towards me. My struggling stopped. She tucked a stray hair behind my ear. When she touched me, I felt my blood run cold and my body go stiff. I heard Hal and Matt gasp as my spikes glowed a bright blue.

I felt Karen loosen the rope around me and got me out of the chair. She told me to walk towards her and I did.

She whispered in my ear," Beat all of them to death, especially Matt. Use whatever you want to do it with."

I began to smile as I heard my family beg me not to do anything. They begged me to come back to them, to snap out of it.

I then preceded to say," This is me now. You are nothing to me."

I then began to beat them with anything and everything. Once I was done, I looked at Karen and she nodded with a pleased smile.

She released me from their hold and I collapsed in a pool of blood. My brothers' blood. I looked at my hands and saw their blood on them and on my whole body.

I crawled over to them when I heard them calling my name.

I told them," Hal, Ben, and Matt, I am so, so sorry for what I did. They took control of me, you have to believe me. I would never do anything like that willingly. Please don't leave me. PLEASE, DON'T DIE. PLEASE!"

Hal and Ben were the first to die. I grabbed Matt and cradled him in my arms.

He told me," I don't blame you for this. I still love you. Fight for us."

Matt then died in my arms. His blood was on me. They all died because of me.

~END OF NIGHTMARE~

I screamed," NOOO!" I sat up in my bed shivering with a cold sweat down my back. I looked at my hands making sure there wasn't any blood on them. My brothers ran up to my bed and sat down next to me.

Ben pulled me in for a hug as I started saying," No, no, please no, please don't leave me. Please."

Hal took me from Ben and hugged me. He said," We will never leave you. Dad may have, but we won't. Not ever."

I began crying as they didn't know the full extent of my pain.

I didn't go back to sleep for the next week. A week after the dream, Hal stopped me in the hallway.

He asked me," When was the last time you went to sleep?"

"Three days ago."

"You're lying to me."

"Ok, last week after my nightmare."

"Was it the same one as last time?"

I nodded yes as I felt tears at my eyes.

Hal pulled me in for a hug and whispered in my ear," It's alright, I am here for you. You are alright, you aren't changing into them. I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"We need to make the deal."

"What is it?"

"You will go to sleep every night. I am so tired of seeing you in a depression and not getting any sleep."

"No, No, No! I will not go back to sleep. The nightmares comes back everytime I fall asleep. Hal, please don't make me, I can't take it anymore. I can't watch myself kill you guys everytime I go to sleep. I just can't do it."

I began to sob and Hal hugged me tighter as I grabbed a hold of him, making sure he wasn't going to leave me. We stayed in this position for five minutes. He told me something else.

"You didn't let me finish the deal. You will go to sleep every night, but each night one of us will sleep with you. If you begin to have a nightmare, then we will be there to help you through it. Also, tonight is my turn."

The rest of the day was spent in the tent. Ben would occasionally come in and bring me something to eat. I figured he didn't really know what to say to me about my nightmares.

I knew that he had nightmares about the harness factory, but he doesn't know about mine, only Hal does.

That night, Hal pushed his bed beside mine and got in the bed. I snuggled up to him and buried my head into his chest. He put his arm around me and kissed my head. I looked up and saw that Matt and Ben were also sharing a bed.

Hal's POV

I watched as my little sister snuggled up to me like she did when she was five. She's not so little anymore, she's 14 now. Anyways, I watched as she went to sleep with a smile on her face. She knew I would be there to help her through the nightmare. I stayed up a little bit longer to make sure she was alright, after checking I went to sleep.

Later in the night, I was woken up by the sound of Elizabeth mumbling in her sleep. She then began to toss and turn. I immediately got up out of the bed and I wrapped my arms around her. I told her that it was ok, that it was just a dream, anything that would make her calm down. None of it worked. She started struggling in my grip.

It seemed as if she couldn't wake up from the nightmare until it was over. I tried to wake her up, but then I had an idea. I picked her up and began to yell at her, like Mom use to do when she wouldn't wake up for school.

She obviously remembered this because she said," Five more minutes, Mom."

I began laughing and she woke up. I put her back in the bed and then got in myself. She turned over and looked at me.

"I was having my nightmare again, wasn't I?"

"Yes, you were mumbling, tossing and turning, and you wouldn't wake up from it."

"Hal, what if this dream means something? What if this is saying they will take control of me? What if-"

I interrupted her," It doesn't mean anything, it's just a dream. And if it does happen, we will get through it, I know you will be able to fight them off."

She gave me a weak smile," Thanks Hal."

We both went back to a dreamless sleep.

My POV

The next night was Ben's turn and right when I was about to go to sleep, I remembered Hal's word that he told me last night. That night I only had one nightmare and Ben helped me through it, just like Hal did.

The next night was Matt's turn. I willed myself and prayed that I wouldn't have one. Matt was only eleven years old, he didn't need to see anything like that. I know how he is doing and it is not good. However when he is with his brothers he acts brave, but when he is with me and me alone he lets his emotions come out. We talk everday on how we are doing whenever Hal and Ben aren't trying to get me to eat.

Later that night Matt and I got into our shared bed and I let Matt snuggle up to me. He buried his head into my chest and I kissed him on the head to comfort him. I wrapped my arms around him, as did he to me. That night we slept peacefully in each other's arms.

As the first month of Dad leaving began to turn into two, my nightmares began to leave. Only three times a week. My depression also went away as my nightmares came less and less.

I began to eat and drink again and I didn't need my brothers to sleep with me anymore. I started leaving the tent and walking around camp. I felt as if I could do any mission. I asked Weaver if I could and he told me no, I asked Anne and she said no, I asked my brothers, already knowing the answer, and they said no.

I asked again and they all said," No, final answer."

I felt like I could do anything. I felt as if I could go on that alien ship and save my father. These were my thoughts before I left the tent and began my walk.

As I was walking I noticed people looking at me. I knew I must look a mess. I was pale and I had dark circles under my eyes from really not much sleep in a month.

Anyways, I passed by Weaver's tent. When I passed by the tent Weaver came out. I waved at him and he waved back with a smile, but his eyes were full of concern.

Weaver's POV

Elizabeth looks so tired. She shouldn't have circles that big under her eyes. This month has been really hard for her and Matt. Some nights it took everything for me not to go into their tent and comfort her when she screamed," DON'T LEAVE ME!" The whole camp felt her pain when she screamed like that.

I hate Tom right now for w hat he has put his children through, especially Matt and Elizabeth. They both act like they are alright, but I can tell they are both very fragile. I hope he comes back soon or his children may not make it.

**A/N: Thank you for reading this and taking the time to read my story. Please leave me a beautiful review. **


	2. The 2nd Month

**Shoutouts:**

**Zagpat17: Thank you. You brought me out of my writer's block. Thank you.**

**Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. **

**A/N: I know. Almost a month. I am really sorry. I was so busy at school, but you don't want to hear this.**

Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own this show.

This second month was better than the last one. I still had nightmares, but not as frequently as last month. I was able to wake up from them before anything bad happened. Weaver and Anne said I could start going on missions again. I was so happy, even though Hal wasn't. To get me use to the surroundings, I would go on small scouting missions with them. I controlled myself better than anybody expected of me.

One day Hal and I were on a scouting mission, much to his disliking. We were going to look for supplies in nearby stores. I spotted an old Chevron gas station and we went in there. We split up and began to look for some food that was useful.

I went to the candy aisle and tried to find some good candy for Matt and the other kids to have for a snack. I was looking to see if the Hershey bars were still ok and I heard a noise behind me.

I thought it was Hal and I said," If you think you are going to scare me, then you are wr-."

I was interrupted by a hissing noise. I looked up and saw a skitter looking down at me, I started to yell for Hal. The skitter placed it's hand to it's mouth. It pointed over to where Hal was and a skitter was walking behind him.

My skitter wanted me to go with him and told me to walk. I pretended to be under their control and I walked to the door. When my hand was on the handle I turned around and shot the skitter in the chest. Hal heard the gunshot and turned around. He saw his skitter and shot at it point-blank. It immediately fell dead on the floor, I wasn't that lucky.

The skitter lunged at me while I was distracted and took me to the ground. My gun was by my side and my hand could reach it,but my hand couldn't grasp it. The skitter began to scratch at my face. I tried desperately to reach my gun and when I did I brought it up and shot it in the head. It yelled out and fell on me as a deadweight.

I screamed for Hal when it died. The alien's thick, red blood got on my shirt, staining it red. Hal came over and helped me push the thing off of me and then he helped me up.

"Thanks, Hal, for helping me."

"No problem, little sis. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fi-." I felt a sharp pain in my ribs.

"Hal, I think I have a broken rib. We need to get back to Anne."

I saw Hal grow concerned. He asked me," Can you walk back there?"

"Yes, I think so. Let's go, I already have the good food for the kids. Come ON!"

We began walking back to the camp. My rib was really beginning to hurt, but I ignored it. We needed to get home quick. As we continued walking, the pain went past my tolerance level.

'Good thing we are almost at camp.' I thought to myself.

The tents came into view and I, stupidly, ran to the camp.

I yelled out in pain,"Anne!"

Ben, Matt, and Anne came running to me. Anne put her hand on me and asked me what was wrong.

"I think I have a broken rib, Anne."

"Let's go see, ok?" She replied.

"Ok, Hal will you come with me?" I looked up at him with my puppy dog eyes that he just can't say no to.

"Of course, little sis." He replied with a smile.

He helped walk me back to the "hospital". I thought to myself,'I swear I should just live in here.'

We went inside the room and Anne asked me to pull my shirt up. Hal politely turned around and waited for me to put it down. I gave him the ok and he turned back to face me. Anne told me and Hal my diagnosis.

"Well it's not broken, but it is bruised. I want you to be careful for the next few days."

I smiled and told her," I must follow the doctor's orders."

I then left to change into some less bloody clothes. I got into some black pants with a red shirt and some tennis shoes. After I changed, Hal and I left to go see Ben and Matt. They must be so worried. We went into the family tent and saw them. Matt turned around at the sound of the opening of the tent and saw me. He ran up to hug me, but I stopped him before he could. He looked sad.

"You can hug me, but be gentle. Those bloody aliens gave me a bruised rib." He gave me a hug and then it was Ben's turn. He had to be extra-careful because of his super-strength. After all of our hugs we talked about what we were going to do the next few days and then Weaver came in asking to see me.

When Weaver came in Matt and I were holding hands and when I got up his grip got tighter. I smiled at him.

"I'll be right back. I promise no bruises or anything this time." He smiled and started playing with Ben and Hal.

Weaver and I walked to his tent and we began talking.

"How have you been sleeping, lately?" He asked me.

"Better now that the nightmares don't come as often." I replied.

"On to a different subject. How did you get a bruised rib? It was a simple scouting mission." He asked confused.

"I think the skitters knew we were coming. They must have already been in there. While I was getting food one came behind me and told me to leave with them or they would kill Hal. I began walking and then I turned around and shot it. It lunged at me and I shot it in the head and it fell on me." I answered.

"Wait, you think somebody is leaking mission plans to the skitters?"

"No, I think they can figure it out through me and Ben. Our spikes can connect us to them."

He asked me concerned," Have you heard anything from them?"

"No, sir." I told him.

"What about your...Dad?"

I answered sullenly,"None at all."

"On the subject of your father, how are you and your brothers doing now that he's gone?"

"I think we are doing better this month. Matt and I have been having nightmares less and less. Hal and Ben are getting use to Dad not being around. I think we all have almost come to terms that he won't come back on his own." I choked back a sob.

"If you guys ever need a father figure to be here for you, then I will be here for all four of you crazy kids." He offered.

"Thanks Weaver. We are comforted by that sincere gesture." I replied with a smile.

"You are welcome, Elizabeth."

I was bursting with a question and I asked Weaver,"Can I keep doing scouting missions and other missions?"

He looked at me in confusion,"What! Why?"

"Even though Dad may not come back to us, that doesn't mean I don't want to get stronger to try and get him back."

I looked at Weaver with pleading eyes and he said yes to my question. I was so excited that I hugged him. He laughed and hugged me back.

He said," Just be careful, alright."

"Alright."

"Now, get back to your brothers before Matt gets an ulser from worrying about you."

I walked back to the tent feeling the sunshine on my face, warming it up. The sunshine helped me realize that it wasn't always going to be gloomy and dark, but sunny and happy. I went back into the tent and saw my brothers playing 20 questions. They were laying on each other laughing their heads off.

They saw me and begged me to join. I joined and pretty soon I had my head on Hal's stomach laughing my lungs out. All of our sides were hurting but we couldn't stop laughing.

I soon began to get really tired and I started suppressing my yawns. My eyelids began to get heavy and soon I couldn't fight it. I laid my head on Hal's stomach and fell asleep. I soon felt someone pick me up and lay me down in something soft and put something on me. I was in my bed.

I dreamed about Dad on the ship. In the dream he told me where he was and he was only ten miles away from us and he was still on the ship. I was confused on why they were still here but didn't care because I knew where my father was and I could help him.

I shot up out of the bed scaring my brothers. I didn't care. I grabbed Hal by the hand and pulled him out of the tent; Ben and Matt following behind us. I took them into Weaver's tent interrupting a deep thought.

"Elizabeth, what is all of this about?" They all asked me.

"I know where Dad is." I replied calmly.

Hal asked me," How? You were just asleep a few minutes ago."

"Exactly, I dreamed it." I told them as calm and collected as I could be.

"Where is he?" Matt asked eagerly.

"He is only ten miles away from here. Come on guys, we have to go get him now." I told them.

Weaver as the voice of reason said," This could be a trap. Why would you have a dream like that?"

"I don't know why I had it. But it is not a trap, how could it be? It's Dad." I looked at my brothers with a pleading look. They all looked at me as if I was crazy.

I was begging now. "Guys, please. We need to get him. He could be getting tortured as we speak. Please."

Weaver doubted me and told me to go to Anne to see what was wrong with me. 'I think the spikes could be having me see things that the skitters want me to see'.

I walked sullenly to the "hospital". I went into the room and called for Anne.

She yelled back,"I'll be there in a minute." I waited for her patiently. She came in a few minutes later and came over to me. She grabbed my hands and checked me over.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong? Have you already hurt yourself again?" She smiled at me.

"Actually, Anne, I haven't. I had a dream about Dad's location. He is still in the city, he's still in Boston."

We did all this talking while she checked to see if there was any explanation to why I had the dream. There wasn't a logical reason. I noticed that when I said the words 'dream and Dad', Anne's smile went away.

She questioned me,"Elizabeth, don't you think it could be a trap? I mean, don't you think that the Overlord and Karen meant for you to see that dream." I had never thought about it like that.

I confidently told Anne,"I don't care if it is a trap. I love my father and would do anything to save him. I know he would do the same thing if it was one of us." Anne's face softened and she wrapped her arm around me.

We were walking out of the room and she told me in a soft voice as if I was a daughter to her,"I will talk to Weaver, alright."

Anne's POV

I walked from the hospital to Weaver's tent. I opened up the drab, gray tent opening and saw Weaver at his desk looking over some kind of paper. His forehead was creased in concentration. I made a noise announcing my arrival and he looked at me.

"Anne, what's wrong? Is someone badly hurt?" He questioned me.

"No, everything is alright. I just have a question for you." I replied.

"Elizabeth wants to go and get Tom. Can she go?" I continued.

"Why on Earth would you support her on this?" He prompted.

"But I do agree that she should go. On only one condition, Hal and Ben need to go with her and they are taking a truck. Go tell her, Doctor." He told me.

I held back a squeal of happiness as I walked to Elizabeth's tent. I opened the opening and walked inside the spacious, but comfortable tent. The Mason children were all huddled together and laughing at a joke that Matt had apparently told. I know I shouldn't think this, but the kids seem happier when Tom isn't around.

They seem as if there isn't any weight on their shoulders or a burden that they have to carry. Hal is a father figure that is actually around all the time and Matt has all of his siblings with him. Ben and Elizabeth don't have to have their father look at them with a sense of sadness on his face. This is a very bad opinion of mine and I would never voice it.

Elizabeth looked behind Ben's head and saw me. She got up and came to me.

She said hesitantly,"What did Weaver say about you-know-what?" She hadn't told her brothers about her plan and I saw them looking very confused.

Hal spoke up for all of them,"Weaver said something about what?"

I figured this should've been a discussion between her and her brothers, but I knew the reason why. I could see right through her plan. She was going to sacrifice herself for Tom. She has been blaming herself for Tom leaving, saying that he wouldn't have left if Karen hadn't threatened to call her back to them. Weaver and I have tried to comfort her but all of that guilt she had turned into sheer determination to get her father back anyway she could.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard Elizabeth trying to calm down Hal. Apparently she had told them and Hal isn't taking it very well.

"Hal, it was my idea. Not Weaver's. He said I could go if you and Ben help me." She said in the calmest voice I have heard her in.

Hal nodded as if saying 'heck yeah we are coming.'

She turned to me and said,"I trust you with my life that you will keep Matt safe. I can't lose him. If something happens to him..."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him. Oh, Weaver said you have to take one of the trucks if you wanna go." I told her.

"Alright, Hal and Ben, let's get ready. Pack as many weapons as we can and then we get some sleep. We need to be well rested for tomorrow." She ordered.

I left letting them get ready and get some sleep.

My POV

After Anne left, Matt came up to me and grabbed my hand. I looked down at him.

Matt said,"Liz, why can't I come with you?"

I told him,"Mattie, if you got hurt on the mission I wouldn't forgive myself. It would be my fault if you got hurt. You need to stay here so I can know that you are home safe and sound. Please do it for me."

He nodded yes and helped Hal and Ben pack the weapons. Once all of the weapons were packed we went to sleep. I decided to sleep with Matt since he wasn't coming with us tomorrow. We all slept soundly in our beds.

Matt POV

Early in the morning, I disentangled myself from my shared bed with my sister. I was going with them whether they like it or not. He is my father too and I am going to help save him. I know my older siblings worry about me but I can handle myself. Elizabeth and my brothers are about to wake up soon so I need to eat something and hide in the back of the truck they are going in.

I went to the mess hall and grabbed a bite to eat. I had some cereal that someone was hiding, even without milk it was good. I got a glass of water, drank it down, and headed outside to the trucks. Last night Hal said they were going to ride in the red '66 Chevy pick-up truck since that was one of mom's favorite trucks.

I clambered into the back of the truck when I heard my siblings get out of the tent, calling my name. They went to the mess hall probably thinking I went there before them.

Twenty minutes later they came out, still looking for me.

I heard Elizabeth yell out in desperation,MATT! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

I felt bad for having her feel like this but I knew this would happen so I told Anne to cover for me. Elizabeth's face turned angry mixed with fear and guilt. She ran in the direction of Anne's tent and I knew that Anne better be able to calm my sister down.

I stayed in the truck knowing Hal and Ben were still in the area looking for me. Elizabeth told them to stay unless I came back.

My POV

I woke up and didn't feel Matt against me. I looked down and didn't see him in the bed. I really hope this is a joke. I got out of the bed and ran to Ben and Hal's beds. I roughly woke them up. Hal woke up and asked me what was wrong. Ben did the same thing.

"Matt wasn't in the bed. I don't know where he is." That woke them up. They got dressed real quick and we went to the mess hall thinking that he went in there.

There was a box of Frosted Flakes laying out and I knew that was Matt's favorite cereal. He was here. We got us something to eat and then went to continue our search. We went to the area where we keep the vehicles and checked for him. He was nowhere to be found. I was terrified and angry. Matt was gone and my promise was broken. Anne broke her promise to look after him.

We should have already left and because of Anne I am looking for my little brother who could be hurt or worse. I told Hal and Ben to keep looking while I went to Anne's Med bus. I was so peed off.

I came up to the white bus that served as our hospital and stormed in. I felt like a mother lioness that was protecting her cub when I went to Anne.

"Where is Matt?!" I screamed at her. She looked up and frowned at my distress.

She took me by the hands and looked me in the eyes. 'Probably a way to calm me down.'

"Matt came in earlier and told me he was gonna play with some friends by Weaver's tent. I have been checking on him. Speaking of that I just got back a few minutes ago from Weaver's tent. He was fine. I promised you I would watch over him, trust in me."

"You better keep him safe." I heard the bitterness in my voice and winced at the sound of it. I didn't mean it to sound like that.

I walked out of the bus and ran back to the junkyard of trucks and motorcycles. Hal and Ben were waiting for me.

"Well, was he with Anne?" Hal asked me.

"He and some friends are by Weaver's tent playing around. Anne is watching after him. I should learn to trust her." I looked down.

Ben put his arm on my shoulder,"You were just worried about your little brother. We all were."

I smiled a sad smile at them. I clapped my hands,"Alright, boys, let's go get Dad."

We all got in the truck and headed to the place of our problems and worst fears. 'Dad, please be alive.'

ANNE'S POV

I let out a sigh of relief when Elizabeth left the bus. If looks could kill I would be dead on the floor right now. She was so angry. I don't know why I helped Matt get away with them. Elizabeth is going to kill me once she finds out, but I believed Matt deserved to help get Tom back.

MY POV

We drove up to the ship and Hal turned off the engine. I climbed out of the truck and went to the back to get the guns. I caught something move out of the corner of my eye and I spun around with my hand already on the trigger. The figure underneath the sheet in the truck picked their head up. The white sheet fell off of the short figure and fell onto the ground revealing the person to be Matt.

"Matt? What the heck are you doing here? I told you to stay with Anne. Ughhhhh! I'm going to kill her when we get back home and don't think you are off the hook, young man. I can't believe you would do this to me. I have been worried sick about you all day."

"I am really sorry about this. I truly am. I need to help save Dad. I know I can do this." He replied to me.

"Matt! I had a reason for you to stay. I know you can help rescue Dad, but I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want my nightmare to come true. I have a feeling that Karen sent those nightmares to me to tell me that they would happen. That's why I didn't want any of you guys to come. I didn't want you to get hurt.

But you are here now and we will deal with everything at home. Guys grab some guns. Matt you stay right in front of me, I don't want to lose you. Do you understand?" I asked him.

"I got you. Do you want me to carry a gun?"

"No, I do not. You will have me and this." I pulled out a dagger from my back pocket. It was our grandfather's.

We got our supplies and headed into the belly of the beast, not knowing what waited for us.

We had been walking around the ship for an hour looking for anything that gave a clue to where our father was at. I heard this hissing sound, it was so faint that I barely missed it. I stopped suddenly having Ben collide into me causing pain in my back. I told everybody to be quiet. I heard the noise get louder and I commanded everybody to hid behind a corner just as a skitter walked past us.

I began to hear a voice in my head but I dismissed it as the skitters until it began to get painful. I grabbed my head as I stifled my cries of agony. I gave in to the voice and I heard a monotone female voice, Karen.

'Oh, Elizabeth you decided to come. I was beginning to miss you. Don't worry, Tom is just fine. Would you like to come see him?'

She left and when I came back to my senses I saw two skitters holding onto Hal and Ben. I grabbed my mother's dagger. What, you can't just have guns.

"Get back from them you disgusting vultures."

"ELIZABETH!" Matt screamed out. I turned around only to be hit by something hard. Everything went black.

I woke up in a chair tied up in the middle of a room. I heard struggling behind me and I turned my head. I saw my brothers tied up as well.

"Hal, Ben, Matt. I am so sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. My nightmare is coming true. Hal, you said it wouldn't come true. Help me! I don't want to hurt you guys. If worse comes to worse, stop me before I hurt you." I began to silently cry, turning my back as the silent sobs racked my body.

HAL'S POV

I have let my little sister down. I told her that it was just a dream. That it could never come true. I have lied to her and now she wants me to kill her if she tries to hurt us.

"Lizzy, please stop crying. Remember the night that you first had the nightmare?"

She nodded yes.

"Well, do you remember what I told you if it did come true?"

She replied in a small, hesitant whisper, "You said that I could fight them off. That I was strong enough."

"That's right, you can. Don't let the nightmare control you, you control the nightmare. Remember that when Karen comes and I know she will."

I smiled at her when she turned her head towards us. She gave a smile back but frowned when we heard a huge bang. Karen was on her way.

MY POV

Oh my gosh, this can't be happening. I am scared and I rarely get scared. Karen was coming, with the Overlord, down the hall right now. Karen and the ugly fishhead walked into the room.

"Ah, the Mason children. I finally get to meet all of you together. Your family is kinda big around here with us." The Overlord said through Karen.

"Where is our Father?" I yelled at it."

"Your father is safe and sound."

"Yeah, like I am going to believe that bull."

"I can have you believe it. Don't forget you are still one of my children."

"NEVER!" My brothers screamed at it.

"Ah, the boys defend their dear sister. How sweet, unfortunately I hate sweetness. Maybe if your sister is trying to kill you, then you won't want to defend her." It said as it walked towards me.

"No, no, NO! Stay away from me. You will not control me. Stay away!

I was shaking all over and I was screaming my head off. The Overlord kept walking toward me. It stroked my face with its hand.

"Please, please don't do this to me. Pl-ease." I had salty tears running down my face.

"I need to my dear. It's the only way to get you to believe. This is for the best."

"DAD! PLEASE HELP US! DAD!" I screamed out in bloody murder as the fish-head touched my head and poked his way through my mind. I hope Dad heard that.

I remembered what Hal told me as I felt the Overlord in my head.

TOM'S POV

I heard a shrill scream on the ship. They didn't do the harnessing on here so why should someone be screaming. The screaming continued and I began to decipher the word that was being screamed out. The word was Dad. The voice screaming sounded familar. It couldn't be, who would come to this cursed place. The voice kept screaming the word 'Dad' and I finally realized that it was Elizabeth. My dear Lizzy.

How long has she been on the ship? I don't care. I need to save my daughter. I broke out of my cell and raced down the hallway that the screaming was coming from. I broke into the room and saw my boys tied up in chairs with a look of pure terror on their faces. I couldn't understand but I soon found out when I looked at my dear daughter. Her face was contorted in pain and terror as I saw her fighting for control. I looked over at the Overlord and saw a bead of sweat rolling down his face. She was screaming my name through her pain.

That's my baby girl. She was fighting but I could tell that if we didn't do anything soon she would lose and anything bad could happen. Both Karen and the Overlord were distracted into trying to get Elizabeth under their control so I untied the boys. I told Ben to keep Matt safe. Hal and I were going to knock Karen and the Overlord out. Once the Overlord went down Karen would also.

I knocked the Overlord down and punched him repeatedly in the head until he went limp on the ground. As I suspected, Karen slumped to the ground, unconscious. My Elizabeth fell forward in her chair. She began to lift her head up.

I ran toward her, "Baby, baby, you are alright now. I am here with you."

"Are they alright? Are my brothers alright? Did I hurt them?"

Hal squatted down to her level and hugged her,"We are alright, I promise. Dad heard you and came in and helped us. You stayed in the chair and you fought so hard. I am so proud of you." He hugged her again and I saw how much my son had grown.

"Ok, Hal, untie your sister. You need to get out of here."

As Hal untied Elizabeth, Ben came up to me.

"Dad, aren't you coming home with us? It would make Liz's world if you came back." He whispered to me.

"I can't come back, Ben. I have to stay here and get more information on them." I saw his face turn sad.

"Dad, you have to. Don't you know how the first month went by? We had to sleep with Elizabeth because every night she had a nightmare about you or us getting tortured. If she sees you staying here, things will just get worse for all of us."

His face showed that Liz wasn't the only person having nightmares.

"I have to. I promise I will try to come home. Just not now. Now let's get your sister and get you kids out of here."

Hal was helping Elizabeth to her feet and came over to me.

"Dad, you ready to go?" He asked me.

"Yeah. Come on, this way." I led them down a hallway that led outside.

We kept walking and eventually we came outside. We went towards the truck that the kids drove in.

MY POV

We were all with Dad at the truck when he gave us hugs. I smiled at the hug that I had been missing out on for the past two months.

"Dad, come on get in the truck. Matt and I will make room." I smiled.

"Actually sweetie, I need to stay here a little while longer." He said.

My world came crashing around me. Dad was staying with the skitters when he could come home with his children.

He kissed me on the head but I didn't feel anything except pure and utter betrayal from that kiss. He gave my brothers their kiss and they hugged Dad back except for Matt. He was more hesitant than Hal and Ben were.

Dad turned back towards the ship. I screamed at him,"Dad, how could you? We came to save you and you stay with them. Why would you do this? I hate you. I hate you."

Dad continued walking and soon disappeared into the ship for the second time. We walked back to the truck, me holding onto Matt's hand. We clambered into the truck.

"Liz, Dad has a reason for this. Everything will be alright." Hal said.

"How can everything be alright? We have a war on our hands and our father wants to be on that ship rather than with his own children. How can it be alright? How. Just tell me how?" I said desperately.

Then Matt climbed into my lap and he climbed up to my ear. He whispered,"It's ok, I am here for you. We can cry together."

I whispered back,"Thanks, buddy. I love you."

On the way back home, Matt and I cried in each others' a


	3. The 3rd Month

**A/N: This is really short and I am sorry about that. I wanted to give you a Christmas present. Merry Christmas. **

**Disclaimer:We all know I do not own this show. I only own my character. Enjoy:-) **

I feel anger. Anger towards my father, anger towards the skitters, anger towards the world, and anger towards myself. I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe that Dad would come back with us. I don't need to become sad for my father. He left us for the second time and that betrayal runs too deep for me.

At the beginning Hal and Ben didn't tell me how they were doing, but I bet it wasn't great. Matt and I weren't doing too great either. The first week, after Dad left, Matt and I just cried in each other's arms. Both of us crying for the loss of a father, him for losing him for a short amount of time and me losing the father I once knew.

This month I have grown more cruel to the skitters and the aliens. I always want to shoot them and I even got a twitchy trigger finger for a little while. I hate them with every fiber in my being. I know where all this anger comes from but I don't want it. I feel angry all the time and when my brothers are around I force myself to laugh and smile.

The change in me was scary. I have even scared myself sometimes. I used to have pity on the skitters and now I don't hesitate in killing them. I am usually not the fighting type but since Dad stayed on the ship I have become more violent to people besides my family. I don't want to act like this, but Dad's betrayal has hurt me more than I could think.

"Well, there you go, my thoughts for today." I told my counselor. Oh yeah they have them here in the 2nd Mass. Weaver made me go to one.

"Let's go into Elizabeth's mind and see how messed up she is." I continued with a bitterness in my voice.

"Now, Elizabeth, we talked about this. I am not here to see if you are messed up or not. I am here for you. I am here so you can vent your rage, thoughts, tears, and anything you want to talk about." My counselor, Mrs. Valentina, said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Val, but I don't see how this helps. I still feel angry all the time. I don't know how to get rid of it. Some nights ,when I think the anger is finally gone, I see Dad leaving us again and the anger comes back. I just want the anger gone."

"I think we both know the answer to how the anger is going to go away. You need to see your father here, home. You need him back with you. That will begin the phase called, 'Anger Subsides'."

"Thanks, Mrs. Val. You always know what to say to me."

"That's what I'm here for." She smiled at me as I hugged her and left her tent/office.

I left the tent feeling happier than when I went in, as usual, and headed to my tent to get some sleep. I saw my brothers all asleep in their beds. Mrs. Valentina and I have the sessions early in the morning so to not worry the boys. I clambered into my bed as quietly as I could.

Once I made sure my brothers were asleep I let the tears fall. I usually fall asleep crying these days. I feel as if I need to cry to release the anger. I don't want to feel like this.

One night Hal caught me crying. He came over into my bed and hugged me tight. He let me cry into his shoulder as he whispered into my ear,"It isn't your fault. Dad stayed on his own will. You couldn't have changed that. The best thing you can do is sleep and dry your eyes. Dad won't come back for tears. It's the sad truth but I don't want you crying for someone that left you. They aren't worth it."

I sniffled and smiled at him,"Thanks Hallie. You are right."

That was about a week ago and I remembered his words. I wiped my eyes and sat up in my bed. I got up and grabbed my archery set and walked out of the tent. I went to my favorite oak tree and ran my fingers over the aged wood feeling the holes in the bark. I would come out here often and shoot my arrows into the tree. Today was no different.

I pulled my arrow out of the holster and put it in my bow. I felt the excitement rush through me like it does all the time as I let the arrow loose. The arrow flew straight and true and went straight into the tree. I nocked my other arrows and watched as each one went into the tree. I sighed as the last one hit the tree.

I walked to the tree and slowly pulled out the arrows. Once done, I sat down on the dewy ground and stared up at the sky, just thinking. I sat up hearing someone come closer. I positioned my footing and brought my bow up to my face. I saw out of the corner of my eye my little brother come up to me.

Matt said,"Hey, Liz. How was your counseling session?" Matt was the only person that I talked with about the sessions.

"It went fine, buddy. We figured out a way for me to feel better." I replied.

"How?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, Mrs. Val thinks if Dad comes home then I will get better." I replied.

"I could've told you that." He said jokingly but I knew he felt the same way I did about the Dad situation.

I smiled at him and then frowned when somebody came up. It was Dai.

"Hey, Dai. What's up?" I smiled at him.

"Weaver needs to see you and your brothers right now." He said in a serious voice.

"Alright we will be there in just a minute." I told him.

We went to get Ben and Hal but they were already waiting at the tent. We all walked to Weaver's tent. Weaver was already waiting for us.

"What do you need Capt.?" I asked worriedly.

"I have a mission for you four and some other people." He said.

"What is the mission?" Hal asked hesitantly.

"The mission is that we heard skitters are near the area. We won't attack until the end of the week because I want to see what their strategy is."

"Alright, Captain. We will train to get ready."

Hal and I were sparring against each other in the forest outside the camp. Ben and Matt were doing something. I was beating Hal and I could see the sweat on his forehead and undershirt.

"Don't sweat too much, Hallie." I smirked at him.

"Don't worry, Lizzy. I won't be sweating much longer."

He tried to knock me out but I parried his blow and roundhouse kicked him. He fell to the ground. I held my hand out to him and he took it graciously.

"Where on Earth did you learn to fight like that?"

"Oh you know, karate class before the invasion. I guess I remembered some stuff." I smiled.

"Well it did you some good, little sister."

"Thanks, big brother."

"Come on, let's go check on our brothers." He laughed.

We saw Ben teaching Matt how to shoot a gun. I knew Hal was furious before I saw his face.

He stalked up while yelling," What the heck are you doing!"

"I was just showing Matt how to shoot." Ben said.

"Who gave you the right to do that?" Hal asked furiously.

"Nobody, but I think our little brother should be able to defend himself."

"Dad wouldn't want this." Hal said.

"Dad isn't here now is he, Hal." Ben said.

Hal broke and raced towards Ben. I ran between him and stopped him. He kept trying to push past me.

"Hal, I don't like this idea either but don't do anything you will regret. Matt doesn't need to learn right now but he will have to learn soon." I said this to everybody not just Hal.

"Fine." He said. He walked off.

"Hal, where are you going?"

"I am going to clear my head. I will be back in awhile."

Hal came back that day. He and Ben apologized to each other and our training went really well. Today was the day of the mission. We all got ready and headed out. We walked to the heart of Boston where there was a Macy's and a J.C. Pennys. I saw skitters walking around.

I told the others to hid behind a corner and I was going to distract them.

"Hey, peabrain. Come at me." I yelled at it, trying not to laugh.

The skitters started to run towards me and I grabbed my gun and started shooting. I felt all my anger go out into the bullets as they shot the skitters and I watched them die. I heard someone screaming what sounded like a battle cry and realized it was me.

I looked around me and saw the skitters dead around me. There was one left and it was standing as if in surrender. I didn't care. I shot the bullet straight and true just like my arrows and I watched as it went through the skitter's side and went throught it.

I heard somebody yell out and saw somebody fall from behind the skitter. I was scared. What if it was Matt or Hal or Ben or Dai. I walked up to the skitter and saw the person I shot. It was dad.

"DAD!"

Hal and my brothers came running to me. They saw Dad and immediately began to cover the wound that I had created. I had already tried and I had his blood on my hands, literally.

"I swear, it was an accident. I didn't mean to. Honest." I said.

"We know. He is going to be ok." Ben said.

"I held his hand,"Daddy, I am so sorry. Stay with me."

Just like Mrs. Valentina said, when Dad came back I would feel better. Despite this moment, I feel some of the anger leaving me.


	4. Dad is home

**A/N: Thank you for everybody that is reading this. I love all of you. Please leave me a review. I take constructive criticism and any advice. **

Disclaimer: I love the show and the characters but I don't own the show.

We rushed into the med bus with Dad in tow. Anne took him and put him on the operating table. Matt and I sat next to him and cried over what had happened and what may happen. Eventually Anne had to have us taken out of the room for surgery.

"No! I won't leave him until this is over. I won't go!" I yelled out.

"Hal, Ben. Take your sister and brother out of here. They don't need to be here for this." Anne said.

"Come on, Elizabeth. Dad will be fine. I promise." Hal said as he took me, Ben, and Matt out of the room.

I heard Anne bustling around getting her equipment and I kept pacing.

"Liz, stop that, you are making me dizzy." Hal said tiredly.

"Sorry Hal, but what if he isn't okay. What if he is hurt. What if something bad happens and it is all my fault. This is all my fault." I replied.

"Come over here right now." Hal instructed to me.

I walked over and Hal put me on his lap. "Now Dad will be just fine. Anne is taking great care of him and none of this is your fault. How would you have known he was behind the skitter? How would you have known he had come back?" He told me.

"I...I don't know but it feels like it is."

"I know but everything will be alright. I promise."

I kissed Hal on the cheek and hugged him tight. He tensed up not prepared for the affection I gave him but he relaxed into it and squeezed me tight.

TOM'S POV

I flashbacked to my time on the ship with Karen and the Overlord. It was horrifying. I remember one moment more vividly than the others.

~FLASHBACK~

The skitters kept zapping me with their version of cattle prods but a hundred times worse. I had burns all over my body from the zaps. Karen would intervene sometimes but that was only when she needed information. Today wasn't any different.

She walked into my prison cell and told the skitters to leave.

"Hello, Tom." She said in her dreamy, far-away tone.

"Hello Karen or is that even you anymore." I spat at her.

"Oh, Tom you know I am still Karen. Just better." She said.

"What do you want?"

"My master wants to talk to you and ask you some questions." She replied.

Two skitters came in and grabbed me from behind and lifted me up. They took me through a series of hallways that opened up into a humongous room. The Overlord was sitting a throne-like chair high above everybody. It looked down at me and spoke through Karen.

"Hello, Tom Mason. I have been looking forward to our talk." It spoke to me when I came in.

"What do you want? Fishhead." I spat out.

"I have been studying your human history to understand why you humans are resisting so much."

"We resist and fight so much because this is our world. If you have studied our history, you would know that in every war we have been in was to protect our own land."

"It doesn't matter. Once you humans surrender we will place the ones that survive in a protected area just like in Nazi Germany."

"That didn't end very well, you know." I pointed out.

"Well, isn't oppression in your nature." It said.

The Overlord then told me that I need to lead the 2nd Mass to a neutral zone that they had set up for us. I told them you shouldn't base everything on history. I grabbed a weapon from a skitter nearby and hit it, blinding it in one eye. I shot at the Overlord but a skitter knocked me out from behind.

I woke up in a field with other resistance leaders. Something didn't feel right. The mech that was with us turned around and started to shoot at all of the leaders around me. The Overlord was trying to teach me a lesson. I started walking around to see if I could find out where I was.

I came upon an old convenience store and walked in. There was a map that said 'The Beautiful State of Michigan.' I am in Michigan. I walked back outside and saw these train tracks. I walked over to them and figured out which way I needed to go. I went down the tracks that led to Boston, that led home.

I had been walking the tracks for a few days when I came upon an alley in abandoned town. There was a young girl and a man. The man was trying to steal from her. I went to attack the man and took his gun. I pointed it at him and he took off like a little scaredy cat. I looked at the place where the girl was and saw she was sitting near a body of another girl.

I walked towards her,"Was that your friend? Did the man kill her?" I asked her.

She nodded and I could tell she was scared out of her mind. I looked over her shoulder and saw a bike. It was a beauty.

"Can I look at your bike?"

She nodded no and she said that she didn't trust strangers.

"I was wondering if I could borrow your bike to get to Boston. You can come along too. I live in a survivors camp. You can live with us." I told her.

"I will come with you but we need to bury my friend."

I nodded and helped her bury her friend. It was grueling work. We finally finished and I got on the bike. She hopped on the bike and wrapped her arms around me to secure herself. She looked at the homemade grave we made and buried her head into my rode off towards Boston.

We drove past a lot of trees and I remembered something that Matt and Liz used to do when they were younger. We would go on trips and if we passed a lot of trees my two little ones would move their heads with the trees and say,"tree, tree, tree, tree", until their sides hurt from laughing too much. Those were the good days with all of my children laughing together and my beautiful Rebecca laughing with them because their laughter was contagious.

We reached the edge of the city and I knew the 2nd Mass wouldn't be at the school anymore.

"Tom, my friend we buried was actually my mother. We were all alone and we were headed to the mountains where a group of survivors where located. We stopped to get some supplies when a man appeared out of nowhere and shot my mother. He then tried to rape me. I fought back until you came along. My Mom and I promised each other that if something happened to the other that the one who survived would go to the mountains. I have lost all hope and I need to go to the mountains for my mother." She told me.

I got off the bike and gave her a hug. She rode off. I kept walking to the city and heard the voice of Weaver. I walked toward his voice and came upon a skitter. I shot at it and skewered it with a rebar. I was trying to take control because it was still fighting when I heard it cry out and felt cold, hard metal go through my skin. I let go of the skitter and fell down.

I heard my daughter scream out my name and I felt Dai try to patch up my wound. I heard Elizabeth sit down and cry over me and she asking me to stay with her. She squeezed my hand.

~FLASHBACK OVER~

I woke up in the med bus and saw Elizabeth sitting in a corner with her hand in her head. She looked really tired like she hadn't slept for a few days. Her hair was a mess and her face was pale and she looked like she had been through a lot, which she had.

"Elizabeth, sweetie. Can you hear me?" I asked her.

She sat up like she was waiting to hear my voice. She looked around to see if it was her brothers and then she looked at my bed. She saw me awake and ran over to my bed.

"Dad, Dad. I am so very sorry. I didn't mean to shoot you. It was an accident, I swear. I thought it was just a skitter." She told me. She was crying.

"It is ok, baby. I know you didn't mean to. How were you supposed to know that I was there behind it? None of this is your fault." I told her. I wiped at her tears and she leaned into my touch.

She ran out to go get Anne. I heard her yell out to Anne and the boys to come in. They all came in at once.

"Hal, report to me what has happened."

"Well the skitters are now able to locate us by heat sensing in the trucks, but Jamil fixed it. There were some mechs nearby but they walked right by us. We are in the clear for now." He told me.

"We are just glad you are back, Dad." Elizabeth said to me as all of the kids hugged me.

I am finally back with them. I wrapped my good arm around them and smiled. I am back with my children. We can get back on the right track. I remembered what Ben said to me on the ship and Liz's last words to me before I left.

It will take a lot for her to get back to me. I know she is still angry even though she has been here waiting for me. She probably felt guilty. I know once I heal she will most likely go back to hating me. I need to get some alone time with her so we can talk.

Pope's POV

I wonder how Daddy Mason got free. The cooties wouldn't just let him go free without a reason.


End file.
